Hey Pixiescar, looks like it's still us trying to find a London group and now we have Fork God. If you're still interested, let me know and I will try to organize some more people.

You certainly have an interesting site Fork God. If I start a group, I'll let you know.

Thanks for the great comments. When I write the instructions up, I'll let you know.

Inspired by the London Burlesque festival that happened a few weeks ago and the fact that I've been trying to sew my own lingerie because all of the silky lacy pajamas I want to buy were $300, I decided to try making a set of pasties. Surely they’d be easy. They were only circles. How hard could it be?

Well, I tried making them and of course messed them up. The next day, I flew home to the US to see my parents and asked my mother if she could help me because she's a crafter extraordinaire and likes a challenge! Thus, we set off to JoAnn Fabrics to find the perfect backing, figured out how to make the shape, how to make a tassel (I'm still working on this one), and the right size eyelets. My mother has a wicked sense of humor and really enjoys something if it's on the edge (even though she's 76!) so we had tons of fun making these. Some of the JoAnn fabric ladies were fairly amused as well.

Here’s how they turned out. What do you think?

If anyone is interested in the instructions, let me know.

A loop turner! That's it. I definitely have to buy one of those. I didn't use a book, but a pattern that I recently bought. I could get the pattern number if you're interested. Basically, it's one of the only lingerie patterns available at the moment. I found it very amusing that there's more patterns available for dog clothes than lingerie.

[Instructions]

Need a special hostess with the mostest present? White chocolate and gummy bears – I promise you we’re onto a winner here.      

As a thank you present for a special someone who likes dolly mixtures and white chocolates, I made these scrumptious home made sweets. Dolly mixtures in England are very popular with children (and some boyfriends). They are small extremely sweet candies in pastel colors. The flavours of these tiny pink/orange/green circles with white centers and mini gummy bears range from sugar to extra/extra sugar. They’re probably supposed to taste of strawberry and orange, but they just taste of sugar and blimey, are they nice. Combined with Nestle’s creamy white chocolate Milk Bar (also very popular over here with children (and some boyfriends)) you may have to eat the entire batch in one sitting.

Instructions

1.   Melt chocolate in microwave. (Do it the fancy way if you want with a thermometer, but we’re not going for a Michelin star here, so go wild and try the micro.)

2.   If you’re like me you won’t want to go out and buy a mould just for this, so use one you already have – even if it’s one to make round choices with flowers on top.

3.   Just turn the bottom of the chocolate into the top by positioning the candies on top after pouring the chocolate. The bottom of the chocolates now happen to be shaped like flowers – added bonus!

4.   Allow chocolate to harden. I usually stick the mould in the freezer.  

5.   Pop out chocolates.

6.   Resist temptation to eat. They’re supposed to be presents, remember? Oh, one won’t hurt. You should always sample what you’re giving, right?

[Rasputin’s Revenge]

Beware of the Russian cocktails (especially if you’re eating sushi at Itsu in London and you happen to be an informant). One too many Rasputin’s Revenges or KGB 59’s and you don’t know what could happen. Here are some killer Russian coctails that I included in one of my Extremely Crafty Ideas ezines recently. They're to die for.

Rasputin’s Revenge
1.5 oz vodka (The name is revenge, so the higher proof the better.)
1 oz cognac
1 oz Grand Marnier
1 oz lime juice
Orange bitters or Angostura bitters
Orange

Mix vodka, cognac, Grand Marnier, juice and a few dashes of the orange bitters with cracked ice. Strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with an orange slice.

KGB 57 Russian Cocktail
1 oz vodka
1 oz gin
1 oz white crème de cacao
Cherry

Shake all ingredients with cracked ice and strain into a chilled glass. Add cherry for garnish.

KGB 59 Russian Cocktail
Don’t ask. We won’t tell.

Russian Bear
1 oz vodka
1 oz heavy cream
1 oz white crème de cacao
Coconut

Shake all ingredients with cracked ice and strain into a chilled glass. Sprinkle the sweetened coconut on top. It’s snowy this time of year in old mother Russia.

Black Russian
1.5 oz vodka
1 oz Kahlua

Mix, pour, and down. Another?

White Russian
1.5 oz vodka
1 oz white crème de cacao or Kahlua
0.75 oz heavy cream

You know what to do - Mix all ingredients with cracked ice and strain into a chilled glass.

Muscovitchini
1.5 oz vodka
0.5 oz cherry brandy
1 scoop of cherry ice cream
Maraschino cherry

Mix in a blender and pour into a glass. Toss the cherry on top. (Even better if it’s a chocolate covered cherry) Drink and think of the old country.

Pavlova Cocktail ♥An Extremely Crafty Favourite♥
1.5 oz vodka
0.75 oz light rum
0.5 oz strawberry liqueur
1 fresh strawberry

Put strawberry aside and mix all ingredients with cracked ice in a shaker. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with fruit.

Moscow Mule
3 oz vodka
1 tsp lime juice
Ginger beer
Wedge of lime

In a highball glass stacked with ice, pour lime juice and vodka. Stir and top up with ginger beer. Garnish with lime. Beware of the kick! This mule will soon have you on you’re a**!


p.s. - The skull was on another of my posts in Craftster. It's a holiday stocking. Not sure how you find my original Craftster post for the stocking instructions and pattern. I think it's here  OCCASIONS AND HOLIDAYS / Winter Holidays / The Bones of Christmas Past

[#260 Pencil Balloon]

To make your first animal balloon, a dog, you will need a long, skinny #260 pencil balloon. These and small hand pumps may be purchased at www.centurynovelty. com. (This book does not endorse this company and is in no way linked to them.)

#260 Pencil Balloon


The nozzle end of a balloon is where the knot is tied. The nipple end is opposite the knot.

Inflation

To inflate, stretch the balloon a few times to soften the rubber, then stretch the balloon to about twice its normal length and begin inflating by using your cheek muscles to force air and start a bubble, then blow up the rest of the balloon by blowing with your chest muscles.

Balloon blowing is serious exercise. Not quite as much as a marathon, but it takes almost as much lung capacity. Try it, you won’t laugh. After a few weeks of practice, the dizziness should subside. Some will say it’s technique and not strength, but don’t believe them.  

If you would prefer not to pass out, use a balloon pump to pump the balloon by hand.

Remember not to inflate the pencil balloon all the way to the end since each twist pushes air toward the nipple end of the balloon. If a balloon is fully inflated, you will only be able to make a couple of twists which is not enough to sculpt much of anything.

Once the balloon is inflated, it is easier to tie a knot at the end of the balloon if you let out a little bit of air first before tying a knot.

Basic Bubble Twist


The basic bubble twist is the most commonly used in balloon sculpture. Holding an inflated pencil balloon in your hands, twist your hands in opposite directions and a bubble is formed. Each bubble should be twisted 360 degrees to ensure the bubble does not untwist.

The Dog

To sculpt the dog, first, inflate a pencil balloon almost full and tie at the nozzle end. Leave about five inches not inflated.


Twist three equal sized medium bubbles. Each one should be about two inches long. To form the head and two ears, twist together at points A & B.


Next, twist three more equal medium-sized bubbles (4, 5, & 6). The neck and front legs are formed by twist connecting together at points C & D.


Twist a long bubble for the body (7) and two equal medium-sized bubbles (8 & 9) for the legs. To form the body and back legs, twist connect together at points E & F.

The remaining balloon is the tail (bubble 10). It’s suggested to always leave some part of the balloon empty because every twist pushes some of the air to the end of the balloon. Once you’ve made a couple, you will get the feel for how much empty balloon you will need at the end. Experiment with some tails being almost fully inflated and others that are only a small bubble with a long empty tail.  Done. Enjoy!

 This is copyrighted by Extremely Crafty.

Thank you for all the lovely comments and the tip about the safety pin. I will definitely look for those as they could be really useful.

Yes, short is almost always better. I'm going to have to start doing stomach crunches though.